Lost & Found
by emerald sorceress
Summary: It turns out Sid's not the only creature left behind at migration.
1. Abandoned & Extinct

**Title**: Lost and Found

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Manny, Sid, or Diego and/or any other characters associated with them. I do however own Nana.

**Pairing:** Diego/OC

**Summary:** What if Sid wasn't the only mammal to have been left behind?

* * *

It was dark by the time Nana woke up.

Her body ached and it took several minutes for her to know where she was. She tried to get up but her side was paining her again so she slumped back down, head on paws as she counted to thirty in frustration.

1...2...3...

Taking a deep breath she tried again, this time managing to stand, though the amount of effort it took left her panting hard and her legs shaking. Trying to throw off her exhaustion she stood quietly for a moment and swept her eyes around the cave, her enhanced vision allowing her to peer through the darkness of the grotto she had been sleeping in.

There was no one there.

Frowning in confusion, she double checked, looking around once more to make sure there was definitely no one else in the cave with her.

Thunder boomed overhead and it started to rain, great drops plummeting from the sky, splattering on the dirt outside. She sighed but headed outside undeterred. Her injured front leg hampered her movements but she moved steadily and soon she was outside, getting wetter and wetter as she stood and looked for her pack.

Her searching became more frantic as she found no sign of them. Nose to the floor she sniffed desperately, trying to find a scent, any scent that the rain hadn't washed away...

At last she caught a faint scent trail and followed it with renewed hope. Ignoring the driving rain she tracked it for half a mile until she reached the top of a deep valley. There was a tiny path downwards to her left and she started to gingerly pick her way down. But it was dark, the path was narrow and the rain had made the ground slick with mud.

Suddenly she slipped.

Twisting her body in reflex as she fell, she just missed the edge of the path and the sharp, painful drop to the valley floor below. She yelped as her injured side made contact with the ground and further bruised her already tender body. Nana groaned and forced herself up again, beginning the slow and tiresome journey back the way she had come. There was no way she could make it down the valley alive in this weather, and it was impossible trying in her current condition. Trying to hold back her ever-increasing misery she limped back to the cave, her fur sodden and muddy as the rain ran in rivulets over her shivering form.

She knew she was in denial.

The scent inside the cave was already hours old and even the scent trail she'd been following had been made the day previously. She searched outside once more, but the rain had washed away any prints and there was no sign of her pack anywhere. Finally giving up she slumped down inside the cave and tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to flow. Failing miserably the sabre toothed tiger gave in and let sobs shake her body.

They'd left her alone…her pack was gone.

* * *

Manny was seriously contemplating the idea of beating Sid over Diego's head. As a plan it had several advantages:

1) His companions would be rendered silent, albeit silent and unconscious (though in Manny's opinion this wasn't a downside).

2) The screaming, wriggling baby he held in his trunk would be entertained and therefore silent also.

Manny had just enough patience left though that he was able to restrain himself. He'd try yelling, and if that didn't work, then he'd knock them out. Whatever worked.

"Enough!"

The sabre-toothed tiger and the sloth paused in mid argument and turned to look at the fuming mammoth.

"If he's hungry all we need to do is find some food," Manny reasoned, trying to reign in his temper.

A loud thud to their left cut off Diego's reply.

The group turned and there, lying on the ground beneath a nearby bush was a fat, juicy melon, almost as large as the baby Manny carried.

Sid smiled gleefully. "Food!"

Manny reached out with his trunk to pick it up, but the melon was snatched from his grasp by the appearance of a large grey dodo, who glared at them, took the melon in it's beak and then ran off before anyone could stop it.

They had no choice but to follow the bird and get their melon back.

"On the upside," remarked Diego as they walked, "if we can't get the melon back, the kid could always have a couple of chicken legs."

Sid wrinkled his nose. "Do you think of everyone as food?"

"Don't worry, sloth," said Diego, baring his teeth in amusement as Sid shrank away over to Manny. "I'm not going to eat you." He smirked. "Not yet anyway."

"Manny!" Sid panicked, tugging on the mammoth's thick reddish fur. But he wasn't listening, too busy watching from atop the cliff edge as below them marched dozens and dozens of dodos, calling to each other about 'preparing for the Ice Age!'

Sid scratched his head in confusion, his fear dispelling in the face of his bewilderment. He was after all a sloth, and had only room for one emotion at a time. "Ice Age?"

"I've heard of these crackpots," growled Diego.

"Still fancy eating them?" said Manny, trying to hold back his smile. "I didn't realize you liked your food crazy."

"They're not crazy when they're dead," Diego snapped back and jumped down from the cliff face onto a nearby rock, muscles rippling under his pelt.

"Intruders!" screamed the dodo who had taken their melon, eyes widening as Diego leapt deftly down to the ground, scattering birds in his wake. "Intruders!"

Manny rolled his eyes as chaos ensued, feathers flying up into the sky past them. "Come on Sid. Let's go greet the welcome party, before there's none of them left."

"Aaaaah!"

Sid winced as one of the dodo's tripped over it's own feet and fell into a large hole that was bubbling fiercely. There was a hiss and then the strong smell of burnt flesh. Sid pinched his nose shut and looked at Manny. "You were saying?"

Manny shrugged and picked a dodo at random. "Hey, could we have our melon back? Junior's hungry and …"

"NO WAY!" squawked a large dodo, scandalized. The bird leapt around as he spoke, getting more and more excited as he carried on. "This is our private stockpile for the Ice Age! Sub arctic temperatures will force us underground for a million billion years!"

Manny raised an eyebrow incredulously. "So you've got three melons?"

The dodo paused and glared at him, for pointing out the fatal flaw in their plan."If you weren't smart enough to plan ahead, then _doom on you_!"

"Doom on you!" cried the other dodos as they took up the chant. "Doom on you!"

They started to advance and alarmed, the group began to hastily back up. Manny shifted from one foot to the other, trying to avoid the incredibly creepy birds. "Get away from me!" He turned to Diego. "Aren't you going to do something?"

The sabre-tooth raised an eyebrow. "I don't think you'd like my solution."

Sid picked up the melon that had suddenly rolled into his arms; the carelessness of one of the dodo's resulting in it being knocked over in their direction. "Hey guys! I think we can go now."

Manny sighed in relief. They'd gotten what they'd come for and now they could make a quick exit, leaving the weird birds behind.

"Retrieve the melon! Taekwon dodos! _Attack_!"

Diego rolled his eyes as three dodos leapt forward and headed for the melon. "You have got to be kidding me."

But they weren't. With a sharp kick one of the dodos kicked it from Sid's grasp, passing it to each other as they made off with it... until one of them threw it over the cliff.

"The Melon!"

Diego failed to hide a smirk as the dodos followed its descent, rushing over the cliff edge, tumbling over in a waterfall of feathers and flailing limbs. "Well that's three down, and we didn't even have to do anything."

Meanwhile, while everyone had been preoccupied with the first melon, Sid had snuck over to a stump where the other two melons were and quietly taken one. Sadly the dodos whipped around and noticed him at the same time that Manny and Diego did, charging forward to attack the helpless sloth.

Again the birds managed to snatch it from him, but as they did the melon bounced and rolled over to another of the bubbling holes that littered the ground there. Three dodos raced for it and managed to stop it from rolling in by the tips of their beaks, only to have themselves and the melon fall in at the last moment as they lost their balance.

There was a hiss of smoke and then they were gone. Only their blackening stench lingered.

All attention focused back to the stump where the last melon remained. Sid swiftly disappeared under a pile of dodos and Diego and Manny watched in despair as the hot, feathery bodies swamped him. As luck would have it though, the last melon popped out and rolled towards the pair. The mammoth snatched it up quickly before the dodos could get it and held it up high with his trunk as the birds switched their attack from Sid to him. They started to leap for it, jumping higher and higher.

Suddenly Manny gave a cry of pain as something bit him on the tail.

The melon went flying, miraculously landing in the arms of a waiting Sid. The dodos that had been hassling Diego and Manny turned back to Sid and started to hedge him in. Even so, he suddenly backed up and charged, ducking his head and pushing through the birds with his free hand, tossing them out of his path as though they weighed nothing. He gave one last final leap and sailed over their heads, managing to finally get away from them, landing in front of the baby and the rest of the group.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, Diego even managing a smile as Sid danced around in celebration, jumping up and down with the melon clutched triumphantly in his hand.

In his excitement he suddenly smashed the melon to the ground.

There was a collective groan of disappointment and Diego snarled. "Thanks Sid. Now we've got to find more food!"

The baby on the other hand crawled over and started chewing on a piece of the smashed melon, juice smeared over his lips as he babbled happily.

Manny sighed in relief that at least something had gone right, then glanced up to watch as the last few remaining dodos toppled helplessly of the cliff edge, balanced on top of one another. "Look at that. Dinner and a show."

There was a low snarl of disappointment and Sid and Manny turned to look bewilderedly at Diego. "Hey, don't look at me," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "I didn't do that."

"No," said a voice to their left. "I did."

Crouched in a grassy area near a crooked tree by the cliff edge was a female sabre-tooth. She stood up, glaring at the group, even as Diego scanned the other predator, noting the large scar running up her left foreleg and to her side, a white jagged line running through her unkempt bronze fur.

Diego growled in warning, even as she flicked her tail in irritation, back arched up and fur bristling. She rolled her eyes, bright with frustration.

"Thanks guys. Dinner just became extinct."

* * *

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	2. Negotiating Nana

**Title: **Lost and Found

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ice Age, nor any of the charcters associated with it, though I do own Nana.

**Pairing:** Diego/OC

**Summary:** What if Sid wasn't the only creature left behind that day?

* * *

The group stared at the female sabre-tooth, who stood on trembling legs.

Diego growled, wary of the stranger, and wondering where the rest of her pack was. Tigers never travelled alone. "And you are?"

"Hungry," she answered curtly. "Now if you don't mind I need to go catch something _else _to eat, since you so kindly made my dinner fall off the cliff."

She turned to leave but Diego was next to her in a flash, blocking her way. "That didn't answer my question."

She glared at him. "Sure it did. You just didn't get the answer you were looking for." Her tail flicked agitatedly, eyes narrowing. "Now move before I make you, tiger."

Diego merely smirked. "In your condition? You couldn't take down a fly at this point, let alone another tiger."

Her eyes narrowed in anger as he touched a nerve, and she shifted her weight between her front legs. "Perhaps not a fly," she snapped, scanning the odd group assembled behind Diego who were watching her warily. Her gaze landed on the infant still happily chewing on melon as he sat at Manny's feet. "But a human baby would do just fine."

She smirked at Diego's low, warning rumble and made as if to back off. Suddenly she turned and leapt over Diego and took off at a run, snatching up the baby between her teeth as she passed Manny. Stunned, for a moment the group did nothing.

Then as one they gave chase.

"Sorry kid," she muttered, as the baby dangled by it's tunic from her fangs. "But you're an easy meal." The baby merely looked up at her and burbled, happily slobbering on the piece of melon still clutched in its fingers. She snorted. "Glad you're happy."

Her eyes scanned the landscape looking for a large tree she could climb or a cave to disappear into but there was nothing but the flat stretch of bare ground to her left and dangerous cliff edge to her right. It didn't help that she was tiring, her hunger sapping her strength and the ground shaking beneath her feet as the mammoth came after her, the roar of the sabre-tooth making her fur quiver and her speed increase.

Perhaps snatching the child had not been the best plan she'd ever had.

A quick glance over her shoulder as she pounded over the terrain showed her they were easily gaining on her, hampered as she was by the child swinging from her mouth and the limp that destroyed the smooth easy motion of her run. She needed to escape and quickly.

She came to a standstill suddenly, as she reached the cliff edge, the land disappearing into air.

"Ooops," she muttered to herself. "Wrong way."

Taking the only route left to her she turned to her left, almost skidding as the ground suddenly dipped down into a long hill, a sleek shiny river slithering through at the bottom of the land.

A plan suddenly formed in her head and she raced for the water as the group closed in behind her.

Nearing the river that raced quick and high she leapt, muscles straining for the rocks that broke the surface of the river in the middle, icy water splashing the tops and slicking the rock. She shivered as the water lapped at her paws, and she paced in discomfort, trying to keep as many paws out of the water as possible. She leapt lightly onto the next rock beside her and then feeling the power in the back of her legs jumped for a rock high up in the middle of the river, where the water split round it but didn't touch the top.

She dropped the baby on the ground and then turned to look at the group, calculatingly.

The mammoth would never be able to cross safely, the water was too deep and too fast, and the sloth likewise had little chance of not being swept down stream. That only left the sabre-tooth and she doubted he would wish to enter the water, even if he could jump onto the rocks. There were few of her kind who could stand water, and she was one of the few who could just about stomach it, as long as she didn't have to be in it for long. Even if he did manage to make the jump onto the first rock, on the stone she was on now there was barely room for anyone else.

* * *

Halted by the river Diego, Manny and Sid came to a stop.

"What do we do now?" Said Manny anxiously.

"It's too deep to cross," said Sid, "and I can't swim."

"Diego?" said the mammoth; but the other tiger had backed away from the water with something like fear on his face.

"I can't go either."

"But she's got the baby," said Sid desperately. "We have to do something!"

"We need that baby back," agreed Diego.

Manny raised an eyebrow. "I didn't realize you cared."

Ignoring the tension between the two of them Sid raised his hand. "Maybe we could reason with her."

"Reason with her? She's starving," said Diego flatly. "I'm surprised she hasn't eaten the kid already."

* * *

The sabre-tooth in the middle of the river watched the unfolding scene in bemusement, though the roar of the water withheld any of their conversation from her. She turned back to the baby at her feet. He had finished his melon and was now looking at her curiously.

"What on earth would possess such an unlikely group of creatures to all come together and care about a child? And a human child at that?" she murmured.

Bending her head down she sniffed at him, before licking his face where the dribble of melon juice was still sticky on his cheeks. The baby giggled and clapped his hands.

Well she had to admit it was a sweet little thing, but she was so hungry. What was it about this child that was so important to this group?

Which was when Sid dropped down onto the rock beside her.

She jumped and pinned the sloth to the ground. She sniffed him and then looked up at the thin tree branch that swung precariously above their heads. The tree branch that only a sloth could have managed to cling to.

She snorted in incredulity. "Well look at that, food's just falling out of the sky now."

"Don't eat me!" he cried, hands across his face in terror.

* * *

Manny and Diego watched the scene unfold in disbelief. "I give him five minutes."

"Two," said the mammoth. "If he's lucky."

* * *

The female tiger rolled her eyes. "So if you haven't come to offer yourself instead, what exactly are you doing here?"

Sid peered at her from between his fingers. "We really need the baby back."

"Why?" she asked curiously. "He's a human. They're not exactly known for being a sloth friendly bunch of people."

"We sort of promised his mother we'd take care of him and now we're returning him to his herd."

She snorted. "A human left her child in the care of a sloth, a mammoth and a sabre-tooth tiger?" She shook her head. "They're stupider than I thought."

"Well, Diego joined us later." Sid leaned closer to whisper. "Personally, I think he wants to eat us, but Manny hired him to lead us to the humans 'cos he can track."

"So you need the baby back to return him to his family, right?" she frowned darkly. "What if his family doesn't want him back? What if his mother gave him to you deliberately because she didn't want him?" She pinned him to the floor with her gaze. "Some creatures get left behind for a reason."

Sid tilted his head and looked at her; and his gaze was at once warm and understanding. "We have to try," he said.

She shook her head. "Well, I'll give you points for determination and bravery." She leaned in and sniffed him. "Though not for hygiene. You stink."

"Um, thanks?" said Sid.

She turned to look at the mammoth and the sabre-tooth who were watching anxiously from the riverbank.

"Alright," she said, her compassion winning over her hunger. "Have him back." She stepped off Sid's chest and gently pushed the baby over to him.

"Oh, thank you!" Said Sid enthusiastically, hugging the baby and then reaching out to hug her.

"Don't make me change my mind," she warned flatly.

"Ah, yeah…right." Sid rubbed the back of his head and scooped up the baby, who gurgled happily and pinched the sloth's nose. "And um, thanks for not eating us."

She rolled her eyes and turned to go. "I'm not planning on making it a habit." She rolled back on her hindquarters and made the jump to the next rock over. "See you sloth."

"Hey!" called Sid, looking up at the tree branch that dangled high over his head. It hadn't been a problem dropping down, but getting back up was not possible. "Um, I don't want to be a nuisance but I'm stuck."

The tiger turned from her rock and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, and what do you want me to do about it?"

"You can jump," pointed out Sid. "So can you take me back over there?" He pointed to his friends. "I'd be really grateful."

"And I'll be dead. Have you seen the tusks on your mammoth friend? I don't let them get that close."

"Please?" Said Sid. "Pretty, pretty please with a smilodon on top?"

"Alright, alright, stop moaning." She leapt back onto the rock with Sid and the baby. "Some rescuer you turned out to be. I'm surprised the kid's lasted as long as he has."

"Hey I'm a sloth. I see a tree, I climb it and jump. That's my rescuing."

"And it seems to have got you into more trouble," she replied, as she finished calculating the jump onto the next rock with the added weight. "Do you trust me?"

"Kinda?" said Sid warily.

"Close your eyes then," she advised, and grabbed both Sid and the baby in her jaws.

"No!" cried Diego and Manny at the same time.

But the tiger merely leapt from her position on the rock back up to the cliff rock, leaping nimbly from one stone to another before arriving back on the side of the riverbank with the mammoth and the tiger.

She released them gently from her teeth and smirked. "You can open your eyes now."

Sid blinked as Manny and Diego rushed over. Manny raised his trunk and she back away hastily, but Sid rushed between them.

"No, no, no! Stop. We couldn't get back so she brought us, she wasn't going to eat us, she's nice!" Sid babbled.

The sabre-tooth rolled her eyes. "There goes my reputation."

Manny slowly lowered his trunk but scooped the baby back over to him, popping him high up on his back.

"I suggest you guard your charge more carefully if you're going after the humans." She glanced over the group but her eyes fixed on Diego. "And tracker, you'd better get going or you'll never get there in time. They're relying on you."

She turned to Sid. "Look after the baby. I don't give up dinner just to have it eaten by someone else."

Sid nodded. "Thanks for the advice."

The tiger nodded and turned to go back across the river.

"By the way!" called Sid. "What is your name?"

"Nana." She hesitated and turned her head to look at the baby and then back at the group. "If…if the humans don't want him back then don't leave him, ok? Nobody wants to be left twice."

And then she was off across the river, lightly jumping from one rock to another until she was over, vanishing into the lush vegetation on the other side.

Manny raised an eyebrow and turned to Sid, before wrapping his trunk around his neck and squeezing. "That was for being an idiot and almost getting yourself eaten." He released his grip and then set him up high on his back with the baby. "And that's for rescuing Pinky here."

Sid took a lungful of air and rolled his eyes. "Gee, Manny, thanks for the appreciation but next time can you show it without trying to strangle me?"

"You pull a stunt like that again and I'll do worse than strangle you," said Manny evenly as they group began to walk off. "What were you thinking? What am I saying? Of course you _weren't_ thinking!"

"Well, you guys weren't doing anything were you so someone had to. Besides, I think she really liked me," said Sid, cuddling the baby who was playing with Manny's fur. "She said I was brave and determined."

"She must have been crazy then."

"Actually, I think she was lonely," said Sid. "She got this look in her eyes when I said we were taking the baby back to his herd. Hey Diego, is it common for tigers to be alone?"

Diego frowned and looked back over his shoulder at the way Nana had gone. "No, it's not. Especially not female sabre-tooths."

"Do you think she was abandoned too?" asked Sid carelessly. "She has that really big scar on her, doesn't she? Maybe she was too sick and they left her behind."

"Sure sounds like something a tiger would do," goaded Manny. "I don't think they're known for their loyalty to each other."

Diego snarled but said nothing. Unfortunately, they were right.

"Guess it makes you glad that we've got each other than," said Sid.

Manny snorted. "I don't know, being alone has it's advantages."

"Like what?"

"Silence," snapped the mammoth.

For once, Sid took the hint.

* * *

It was evening when they finally made camp.

The mammoth settled himself next to a big boulder, picked up the baby and wrapping his trunk around the sleeping infant, started to relax. There was a sudden noise and Sid emerged from the bushes, returning from his food hunt.

"Oh, the triumphant return."

Sid looked confused for a few seconds before recognition dawned in his eyes. "Oh, that. Gosh. So full." He rubbed his stomach and leaned his back against a rock on the ground.

Manny smirked. Sid was such a bad liar. With one final suspicious look at Diego to check he actually was asleep, he drifted off into his own slumber.

Diego's eyes snapped open.

Now was his chance to take the human and be gone.

* * *

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	3. Mud & Snow

**Title**: Lost and Found

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Manny, Sid, or Diego and/or any other characters associated with them. I do own Nana though and her storyline.

**Pairing:**Diego/OC

**Summary:** What if Sid wasn't the only creature left behind that day?

* * *

Diego raised a paw ready to swipe the baby when Manny stirred, shifting the baby into an unreachable position.

He cursed. All his chances seemed to be melting away like snow in spring. Or tigers over rivers and into the distance.

Diego frowned. Now was not the time to be thinking about Nana. In fact why was he thinking about her at all? He shook his head. Clearly spending time with such a strange group of creatures was messing with his head.

He was just missing his own kind- that was all.

Not that his own pack had any females in it…not since the last attack by the humans, anyway.

When he found himself wondering what the exact colour of her eyes was he knew he had to get the baby and leave, or he'd never be the same again.

He was just about to stalk back over to the sleeping mammoth when there was a sudden noise. A rustling in the bushes just up over the top of the sand dune.

Crouching low he inched his way up and then sprang.

Startled, Zeke and Oscar tumbled backwards, and Diego retracted his claws, rolling his eyes.

He glared at the two sabers. "What are you two doing here?"

Zeke snarled, upset with being snuck upon so easily. "Soto's getting impatient. He says come back with the baby… or don't come back at all!"

Diego growled back, inching up into Zeke's face as Oskar watched fearfully from the side. "Don't worry," he said, ignoring the faint twinge of guilt he felt. "I've got a new plan…"

* * *

Manny's eyes shot open as he realised he wasn't holding the baby anymore.

His eyes narrowing as he realised who had taken the sleeping child he hurried over to the still sleeping tiger and slammed his feet into the ground, waking Diego up from his snooze spot.

**"**Where's the baby?" Manny demanded loudly.

"You lost it?" snarled Diego back. The two glared at each other when sudden realization dawned.

"Sid!"

* * *

"Where'd you find it?" said the female sloth, chucking the baby under the chin.

Sid preeened. "Picture this, the poor kid, all alone in the wild. Sabers were closing in on him - so I just snatched him!" Sid mimed his actions as the baby sank lower into the mud bath, blowing bubbles as he went.

"So brave!" cooed the female sloth on the other side of him.

"Yeah, well, he needed me," said Sid modestly, scooping the baby up hastily. "I only wish I had one of my own, too."

"The world couldn't cope with more of you," said Nana, reaching into the tub and scooping the baby out, teeth clamped around his tunic. She gently popped him on the ground. "Sid, a word please?"

"Excuse me, ladies," said Sid, his eyes widening. "You just keep marinating and I'll be right back." He hurriedly followed after Nana who was licking the child clean on a nearby rock outcropping under a pine tree. "What are _you_ doing _here_?"

"What do you mean, what am _I_ doing here? What are _you_ doing here? I thought you were meant to be returning him to his herd, not using him to get yourself a mate." She looked him up and down. "Good luck with that by the way."

Sid folded his arms. "Did you follow us?"

Nana rolled her eyes, set the baby on the floor and let him play with her tail. "Please, give me more credit than that. This is a popular mud hole site, and the mud soothes my skin." She motioned to her scar. "Besides, you're the ones who are out of your way. You should be on your way to Half Peak by now, not having leisure time. Where are your friends by the way?"

Sid shifted uncomfortably. "I left them, um...sleeping. They don't know about this."

"Well, at least that means they're not as stupid as I thought they were. Still had to be pretty dumb to let you steal off with junior here." She flicked her tail up in the air and the baby gurgled delightedly. "I thought you'd learnt your lesson last time. This time the kid stays with me, where it's safer."

"Safer?" Sid scratched his head. "Have you seen you?"

"At least I didn't almost drown him in mud," she pointed out. "He stays on dry land."

Sid's face fell. "No, no, no. Nana, please, I'm begging you. I need him."

"A good looking guy like you?"

"You say that, but you don't mean it," said Sid.

"You're right, I don't," Nana replied sharply. "But don't let me cramp your style."

"Thanks, Nana-"

She pulled the baby closer. "Without the kid."

"Well he can't stay with you."

"Why not, scared I might eat him?"

"Honestly? Yes."

Nana rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I've eaten since we last met."

"Why does that not reassure me?" said Sid suspiciously.

"Trust me, I had a very nice dinner of bison, though he was a bit old and tough around the edges. Still, you take what you can get."

Sid turned slightly green. "Thanks for the visual."

"Believe me, a baby isn't worth my time. Couple of mouthfuls at most." Nana began to lick her paws. "Plus, all the little bones would get stuck in my throat."

"It didn't stop you last time," Sid pointed out.

"Last time I hadn't eaten for three days and I was desperate." Nana looked over his shoulder and then fixed him with a look. "Your lady friends are getting bored. I think they might be leaving soon."

Torn, Sid chewed his lip.

"Go on, we'll be fine. And you can see us from over there, anyway, can't you?" said Nana persuasively. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Alright," said Sid eventually, beginning to walk back to his two companions. "But if anything happens to him I'll..." he paused. "well, I'm not sure what I'll do but I'll sure I'll think of something."

Nana turned back to the baby and raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? He's going to get you home?"

* * *

"MANNY!"

Turning at the noise the mammoth didn't fail to miss Sid's scream. He headed in the direction of Sid's voice to see what was going on and sighed resignedly when he set his eyes on the scene. Diego had his teeth clamped firmly around Sid's throat and the sloth was struggling to get out.

"Diego, spit that out. You don't know where it's been."

"I will," said Diego, "when he tells me where he left the baby."

Manny almost had a heart attack. "You mean he's not with you either?"

"Well, as I was about to explain before the rhinos tried to kill me," said Sid quickly. "I sortoflefthimwithNana."

"Sorry?" Said Diego. "I didn't quite catch that last part."

"It would probably help if you didn't have your teeth around his neck," said Nana calmly, walking up to them and depositing the baby on the ground. "But I think what he said was that he left the baby with me."

"You did what?" exploded Manny. "How could you leave him with _her_?"

"Gee thanks," said Nana. "I'm really feeling the love."

"No offence, but last time you tried to eat him," Manny pointed out. "I would hardly describe you as a suitable babysitter."

"Well at least I don't lose my charge, twice may I add. Or use him as an object to improve my standing with the opposite sex!" Nana rejoined. "You guys don't exactly have a stellar performance record either."

"That's hardly the point," said Manny uncomfortably. "The point is Sid was irresponsible. Again."

"But as punishment, he did almost get himself killed. Again," said Nana, "so I think you should probably let him go now."

Diego reluctantly dropped Sid to the ground. "Boy! For a second there, I thought you were actually gonna eat me!"

"I don't eat junk food," growled Diego.

"Wow, you guys really are dysfunctional, aren't you?" Nana commented, sitting down and placing the child in between her forelegs.

Manny pinned her with a look. "And a sabre-tooth tiger on her own isn't?"

"Touche," she replied.

The baby wrinkled his face and there was sudden loud wet noise, followed by a rather nasty smell.

"And this is where I hand him back over to you," said Nana hastily, pushing him gently over to the mammoth.

"That's Sid's job," said Manny and handed the stinky, wriggly child over to the sloth who shot him a look. "Like you barely notice anyway, your stench is worse than his."

"Haha, I forgot how to laugh," Sid retorted but began to set about cleaning the child anyway.

"Well, this is where we say goodbye, again," said Nana, getting to her feet and stretching out her claws. "And don't let me catch you off track again."

"You, you could always come with us," said Diego hesitantly.

"Oh I'm not sure that's a good idea," Nana said quickly. "I'd just slow you down and...and...well actually I don't have any other reasons but you'll never make it to the Pass in time if I come with you."

"You wouldn't slow us down, you're pretty fast when you want to be," Diego replied. "Plus you're good with the baby and it'd eb some company for you."

Nana's spine straightened. "Who said I needed company? I like being on my own thank you very much." She made to leave but Diego leapt in front of her and blocked her path.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have said that." He fixed his impossibly green eyes on hers. "But please. Stay."

When she hesitated Manny gritted his teeth. "Diego. A word. Now."

Sid, the baby and Nana watched as the two wandered over to a clump of trees and began arguing. Loudly.

"You know, I think he likes you," said Sid innocently.

* * *

Half an hour later and Manny had given in and let Nana join them on their journey, though he made sure she and Diego were always upfront where he could keep an eye on them. Which suited Diego fine, he could spend time with the other tiger, once again revelling in being with someone of his own kind.

"So how did you join up with these three?" Said Nana as they followed the path to the Pass.

Diego shifted uneasily. "Well, we all found the baby at the same time and decided to return it as a group."

"You didn't strike me as the mothering type," Nana replied mockingly. "I thought male tigers were all about the hunt and proving themselves in battle with other tigers. And here you are, alone with two other guys, not of your own species, raising a child together. Interesting."

Diego glared at her. "That is not what it sounds like."

"Relax, I'm only joking," laughed Nana. "I know you're in love with Sid. It's really quite adorable actually, in a really disturbing way-ah!"

Diego had thrown a snowball at her head.

She grinned and launched one back and soon it was out and out war, snow flying thick and fast through the air.

"Oi!" Said Manny as a snowball accidentally hit him in the face. He swiped at the snow with his trunk, his face unamused. "Watch where you're throwing that stuff."

There was a loud wet splat.

Manny blinked the snow from his eyes and glared. "Cut it out you two. I don't care who started it, but I'll finish it!"

"Concede Diego!" Nana yelled, her fur sodden through with snow.

"Never!" he shouted back, giving away his location.

Crouching in the snow she shuffled her way forward, keeping her body low to the ground and out of Diego's sight, tail twitching in anticipation. She spotted the smooth slope of his shoulders in front of a mound of snow, and she stilled. Counting under her breath she breathed once, twice...

She leapt.

Diego's collapsed in the snow face first and Nana leapt from him lightly, her mouth curved into a grin, fangs glinting in the weak sunlight.

"Game over, Diego, I win."

The sabre-tooth pulled himself up gracefully from the snow, eyes glaring daggers, and shook himself, ice cold powder spraying everywhere, his body a coil of anticipation, muscles straining beneath his sleek fur.

"You're going to regret that," he murmered darkly and leapt for her.

Nana raced off still grinning, body humming with exhilaration and adrenaline. She hadn't had this much fun in years. A quick glance over her shoulder showed her Diego was catching up, his speed greater than hers. but she was nimbler, sleeker and she put that to her advantage, weaving in and out of trees and then doubling back on herself, racing around Manny and Sid who watched in silence, Manny rolling his eyes.

"It'll all end in tears," he muttered.

Nana ignored him and raced on, speeding over the snow, until her leg began to throb, her scar beginning to ache. Suddenly her feet went from beneath her, but it wasn't her fault.

She was on a large lake of ice.

Diego appeared beside her, having slipped on the ice as well, his greater speed making him pass her as they sped along the surface, straight for a giant pile of snow.

The two of them shared a look before Diego hit the snow.

Nana hit Diegio.

* * *

Coughing and spluttering Diego came up first, as Nana, blushing, detangled her limbs from his.

"I still won," she said, as she pulled herself out of the snow drift after him.

Before Diego could reply Manny walked up beside them in the thick snow, having safely walked aorund the lake whilst they'd dug themselves out.

"I don't care who won," the mammoth interrupted, baby atop his fur, Sid by his side. "What I want to know is: where are we?"

"Well," said Diego looking around for any familiar land marks. He scented the air and then checked the ground anxiously.

Nana sat down in the snow and began to smooth her fur. "Oh dear. It appears the great tracker is lost."

"No," he snapped. "I know exactly where we are."

"I do too," she replied brightly. "It's called Lost. Population: Us."

* * *

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	4. Ice & Fire

**Title**: Lost and Found

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Manny, Sid, or Diego and/or any other characters associated with them. I do own Nana though and her storyline.

**Pairing:**Diego/OC

**Summary:** Sid wasn't the only one left behind that day...

* * *

Manny nodded his head in the direction of a small scraggly looking squirrel, who was scratching in the ever increasing amounts of snow looking for a good place to put his acorn. "Ask him for directions."

"I don't _need_ directions," insisted Diego.

Nana rolled her eyes. "What is it about men and asking for directions?" She asked incredulously. "Manny just ask, 'cos we all know Mr Stubborn here won't."

"Hey, buddy. You see any humans go by here?"

The squirrel looked up at them nervously and shook his head. He paused and then nodded, holding up a claw. Eagerly, Sid walked forward holding the baby.

"Oh! I love this game! Ok, let's see...three words...first word...stomp!" The squirrel jumped up and down in frustration.

"Here, let me try," said Manny, pushing Sid out of the way. The squirrel tried again and the group watched as the creature picked up his acorn and carried it on his back.

"Sack, bag, pack…Pack!" he shouted triumphantly as the squirrel nodded encouragingly.

"Oooh, good one, Manny," said Sid. "Pack of...long teeth...and claws!"

Nana's ears pricked up. 'Long teeth and claws?'

The other started throwing ideas off each other.

"Pack of wolves?"

"Pack of bears? No, that's not it."

"Ok, wait, I've got it. Pack of..."

Manny turned but the squirrel was gone. He glanced around confused and then shrugged.

"Come on, this way!" shouted Diego, who had started off already.

* * *

Of course it didn't take long for another argument to begin.

Diego scowled at Manny. "I mean, faster than the long way around," he said sarcastically.

"I know what a shortcut is!" snapped Manny, struggling to keep the wriggling baby under control.

Nana ignored the pair as she lay on the ground chewing on some sort of rabbit for was about the size of a large cat and its entrails were now splayed across the snow, red puddles marring the crystal white ground.

Sid screwed his nose up in disgust and headed off as fast as his little legs could carry him. "Urgh, carnivores!"

Nana rolled her eyes and carried on with her meal whilst Diego and Manny continued to argue.

"Look, either we slip through there and beat the humans to Glacier Pass, or we take the long way and miss them!"

"Through there?" Manny pointed with his trunk at the narrow opening, sharp icicles hanging above it, which shook when the wind blew. He raised an eyebrow sceptically. "What do you take me for?"

"This time tomorrow, _you_ could be a free mammoth… or a nanny. Personally I never get tired of peek-a-boo."

Manny wavered, but his gut instinct told him to avoid the cavern. Just then Sid came back holding two pieces of a long icicle in his paws.

"Hey guys! Check this out." Sid staggered past holding the icicle to the sides of his neck as though it was speared through him.

Nana rolled her eyes.

"Sid, the tiger found a shortcut." Manny gestured to the dark, forbidding entrance into the sheer rock face. Looking at the entrance Sid hurriedly dropped the halved icicle and started backing away.

"No thanks. I choose life."

Diego was on him in one bound, his snarling face within inches of Sid's."Then I _suggest_ you take the shortcut."

Sid looked at Diego and waggled a claw in his face accusingly. "Are you threatening me?"

"Move, sloth!" Roared Diego.

There was a loud rumbling noise and the group looked up as snow, ice and rocks started to hurtle down from the top of the cliff . They stood immobile for a moment, staring as the snow slide headed towards them, rapidly gaining speed.

"Waaaay to go, tiger." Sid patted Diego on the head condescendingly.

"Quick! Inside!" yelled Manny.

No one was prepared to stick around to argue the point and they all dashed inside, Nana parting regretfully with her meal. They slid to a halt inside the entrance, watching as the icicles danced and tinkled unsteadily on top of the roof as the avalanche continued. Deciding to take their chances outside they whirled around to head back out only to find large rocks and boulders blocked their way. Glancing uncertainly upwards towards the icicles they watched as gradually they stopped shaking and stood still again.

There was no way they could go backwards so now their only option was to carry on through the cave.

"Ok, I vote shortcut."

* * *

It was freezing inside the cave, their breaths coming in icy puffs. The baby was kept warm curled up by Nana, who was lying on top of Manny.

Diego shifted uneasily."Stick together, guys. It's easy to get lost in here."

"And the prize for stating the obvious this year goes to..." muttered Nana as she eyed the tall caverns within the cave.

The path split into three and then three again, and it would only take one of them to make the wrong turn to be completely lost and be split from the group. It was strangely quiet inside, except for the constant dripping caused by melting stalactites.

"Will you keep up, please?" Manny snapped at Sid who was lagging behind. "It's hard enough to keep track of one baby." The four of them then watched bewildered, as somehow Junior slid past on the ice and disappeared down an ice tunnel, waving and gurgling happily.

"How the...?"

Diego's question was left unanswered as Sid leapt in after the vanishing baby, swiftly followed by Manny. He looked at Nana, who gestured towards the hole with a paw.

"Ladies first."

Diego didn't have chance to retort as he was roughly pushed down the hole. Nana smirked and jumped in after him.

She immediately regretted her actions, as she went sliding wildly after the others, rapidly gaining speed. She couldn't see them, (they had ended up sliding down separate tunnels), but she could hear their yells of fear plainly coming from other areas in the maze of ice. The ice floor curved upwards unexpectedly and Nana shot off the end, briefly flying through the air. She spotted Diego, Sid and Manny just ahead, as the many winding tunnels converged into one.

She landed on the hard ice, the air knocked out of her lungs. She continued to slide, flat on her stomach downhill. It was only then that she realised that her path stopped a little way ahead, ending in a sheer drop. She tried to dig her claws in but she had built up too much momentum, so instead she shut her eyes tightly and waited for the inevitable to happen as she flew off the end …

To her surprise she didn't hit the cold ice, but instead something large and warm. She opened her eyes confused and found herself to be back on Manny, along with Sid and Diego, on whom she was currently lying. She blushed and would have gotton up, but at that moment Manny slid wildly and she had to grip onto Diego to avoid falling off. Their eyes locked but before anything could happen, Sid made a mad grab for Manny's trunk breaking the pair up as he yelled.

"Captain! Iceberg ahead!"

Before anyone could figure out what Sid was talking about, they smashed into an enormous piece of ice. They slid upwards before coming to a stop before they could go over the precipice. Manny sighed in relief, and they all relaxed.

CRACK!

The ice gave way under their combined weight and they plummeted downwards, screaming. Somehow they managed to maintain their upright position as they hit the bottom and started to slide all over again.

Out of the blue Junior appeared infront of them and Diego reached out to grab him but missed. Diego and Sid leapt off Manny to see if they could catch the slithering baby. Crouching down to decrease air resistance Diego sped ahead of Sid and Manny. But the mammoth wasn't about to allow the carnivore get to the baby first and so following Diego's lead he ducked his head down to, trying to minimise his body size.

Seeing what he was trying to do Nana leapt off to the right allowing him to try and achieve this. He turned around as the baby suddenly flew upwards in the air, getting ready to catch him. He deftly caught him with his trunk, but there was no time for celebration as the next thing they knew they had ploughed straight into a wall of snow.

Manny's head popped out of the snow and with his trunk he fished around for the baby, who came out laughing and shaking his podgy little fists in the air happily. Manny rolled his eyes at him and then looked around for Sid who appeared next to him shaking snow off his fur, along with a spluttering Nana. They stared irritated at the baby, who blew raspberries back at them. Diego eventually popped out of the snow to Manny's right, laughing and shouting, almost as happy as Junior.

"Wow! Whoo, yeah! Who's up for round two?"

The other three glared at him. He took one look at them and then coughed and lowered his eyes to the floor embarrassed.

"Oh. Ahem. Tell the kid to be more careful."

* * *

The ice turned to dirt beneath their feet and it was a welcome change.

Nana stretched her claws; glad she wouldn't be sliding around any longer. She avoided looking at Diego, and concentrated on staring at the floor as she walked.

Sid nudged her in the side, bringing her out of her thoughts and he pointed at the paintings, which adorned the walls.

"Look, look! Tigers!"

Nana stopped interested, and the baby also stopped fussing and stared wide-eyed at the pictures. He gave a whimper. Tired of having to deal with the infant Manny put him on the ground and started to walk off ahead. Junior clung onto Nana's right front leg, sniffling. She crouched down and licked the baby's cheek trying to make him stop. She'd grown attached to him, she mused.

"Oh, it's ok, it's ok, look, the tigers are just playing tag with the antelope..." murmured Sid, trying to comfort Junior. He trailed off uncertainly and stared at it again. "With their teeth."

Diego circled him, baring his teeth, as he smirked.

"Come on, Sid. Let's play tag. You're it!" Sid eyed him warily and laughed nervously.

"Sure…" he glanced up at the walls again and quickly changed the subject.

"Ok, ok, ok. Where are the sloths? You know, you never see any sloths in these things, have you ever noticed?" He paused and then let out a gasp of excitement.

"Oh, look, Manny! A mammoth!" He cocked his head to one side and inspected it carefully. "Hey, hey this fat one looks just like you." Manny stopped and came back to where the others were looking and glared at Sid.

"Aaw, and he's got a family!" Manny's look of annoyance started to rapidly fade and Diego swore he grew a shade paler. Sid carried on unknowing.

"Oh, and he's happy. Look, he's playing with his kid! See, Manny, That's your problem! That's what mammoths are supposed to do! Find a She-mammoth, have baby mammoths…"

Sid trailed off sharply as Nana dug her claws into his side. Manny had a glazed look upon his face, as reverently he pressed his trunk upon the drawing of the family on the wall. The trio looked down at the ground, suddenly realizing that this was a private and obviously painful moment between Manny and his past. They stayed like that for what seemed an age, until he came out of his trance as his trunk brushed against something soft. Glancing down he saw that what he'd touched was the baby. He tottered towards him, uncertainly and Manny caught him before he fell.

It was in that moment that Nana realised that although Manny was seemingly hard on the outside, he was soft and gentle on the inside, and by the way he was holding the baby, coming to terms with the fact that he couldn't, or rather, wouldn't abandon them. Any of them.

* * *

Half Peak soon appeared in the distance and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, would you look at that. The tiger actually did it! There's Half Peak, next stop, Glacier Pass." Manny turned to Diego with a smile. "How could I ever have doubted you?"

Sid smiled at the baby. "Did you hear that, little fella? You're almost home..." He suddenly fell silent again, shifting from foot to foot. "My feet are sweating."

Diego rolled his eyes. "Do we need to get a newsflash every time your body does something?"

"He's doing it for attention, just ignore him," said Manny sagely.

"Seriously, my feet are really hot - ow!"

The trio continued to ignore him and Sid started to dance around wildly yelping, as his feet grew hotter and hotter. There was a sudden ominous rumbling, and the group stopped in their tracks as the ground began to shake.

Manny glanced around worriedly and clutched the baby tighter.

"Tell me that was your stomach..." he muttered. Sid finally caught up with the rest of them and tried to reason the rumbling away, failing miserably.

"I'm sure it was just thunder. From...under...ground?"

The noise grew louder until all of a sudden the snow behind them erupted, a geyser of lava shooting straight into the air. For a moment there was a collective silence then…

"AAAAH!"

As one they turned and ran, racing as fast as they could to escape the place and it's lethal underground fountains. More snow erupted behind them, but there was no time to stop and look back.

"Come on, keep up with me!" yelled Sid as he tried to run over a particularly icy patch of snow. It would have been funny if the situation hadn't been so deadly.

"I would if you were moving!" Manny bellowed back behind him.

Sid slipped and fell flat on his face. Meanwhile the rock and snow were giving way and slipping to fall into the river of lava, which now flowed, metres below them. Diego launched himself across a steadily increasing gap behind them, shortly followed by Nana who only faltered slightly and then regained her balance.

"Wow, I wish I could jump like that," marvelled Sid as he gazed at the two tigers behind Manny.

"Wish granted!" shouted Manny as he impatiently kicked the sloth hard, causing him to fly over the ice and land on solid ground a little way ahead. Nana was growing panicky and she started to pace behind Diego.

"Come on, move faster!" she snapped.

Manny raised an eyebrow and sarcastically pointed at the fiery flow below them. "Have you noticed the river of _lava_?"

The baby whimpered as the ice faded before their eyes. It would never support Manny's weight. Frowning in concentration he crouched down before leaping, barely making it to solid rock. He sighed in relief, but turned at Nana's sharp bark of alarm.

She'd leapt after Manny, but the gap between the melting ice and solid ground was increasing and when Diego had leapt he had only just made it, hanging onto the edge of the ice with his claws. Nana wasn't long enough, and the ice was too fragile for anybody to walk right over to him. Springing into action Manny shoved the baby into Sid's arms.

"Hold Pinky!"

He carefully inched himself out, using his trunk as a rope with which to reach Diego. There was a horrible cracking sound and Manny paused as the ice below him shuddered and readjusted itself. Diego let go with one paw desperately struggling to reach the outstretched trunk. Suddenly with a loud sickening crack the ice gave and he started to fall but Manny leaned forward and snatched him quickly before he could, causing them both to sway precariously.

Diego glanced at the boiling river below him and flinched as a jet of steam suddenly gushed upwards next to him. Turning to Manny with desperate eyes he dug his claws into the mammoth's trunk trying to get a better grip. Wincing in pain, Manny turned and flung him back over his head towards Sid, Nana and the baby. The baby gurgled happily as Sid breathed a sigh of relief.

Nana anxiously hurried over to Diego who was lying slumped on the ice. She licked his face fretfully, as he remained motionless.

"Diego, Diego!" She nudged him with her head. "Damn it, wake up!"

Diego cracked open one eye and grinned at her. "Maybe I ought to be 'unconscious' more often if this is the welcome I get."

Nana hurriedly backed away from him and glared. "Dream on tiger. I thought you were dead, after all you do look kinda pathetic…"

A loud crack interrupted Diego's reply.

Everyone turned at the noise to see Manny (who had been walking over to the others), staring as the ice below his feet fractured. As if in slow motion they saw the ice give way and begin to slide away from the cliff edge.

Manny gave one loud, panicked bellow and then he was gone, tumbling down towards a fiery end…

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	5. Dawn of Guilt

**Title**: Lost and Found

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Manny, Sid, or Diego and/or any other characters associated with them. I do own Nana though and her storyline.

**Pairing:** Diego/OC

**Summary:** What if Sid wasn't the only mammal left behind?

I was starting to forget what was happening in the movie so I had to watch it a couple more times. And I cried. Three times. How pathetic is that?

-#-#-#-#-#-

Before the shock of Manny suddenly disappearing could register in the minds of the others, they abruptly saw him lifted high in the air on a huge jet of steam. There was a loud crash as gravity decided to kick in and the mammoth fell onto the hard surface where the group stood. Sid scrambled over towards him, closely followed by Diego and Nana as rock, ice and other debris showered the ground.

"Manny! Are you ok? Come on, say something, anything!"

"Nyore ndin yn ny yrrnk," mumbled Manny faintly.

"What? What was that, I can't hear you?" Sid inched closer.

"You're standing on my trunk," he repeated.

"Oh."

The sloth jumped from his trunk and Manny gratefully sucked in lungfuls of air.

"You're ok, you're ok!" Yipped Sid dancing around wildly with the baby gurgling in his arms. Diego looked confused, an expression on his face which Nana hadn't seen before. He was always cocky, sure – never uncertain and perplexed.

"Why did you do that? You could have...died, trying to save me."

"That's what you do in a herd," answered Manny, matter of factly. "You look out for each other."

Diego paused to digest the information and Nana smirked at the tiger, who suddenly couldn't meet anyone's eyes.

"Well...thanks." He smiled slightly, looking embarrassed. She could swear he was blushing.

Sid, ever looking for a moment for a quick quip spoke. "I don't know about you guys, but we are the weirdest herd I have ever seen."

Nana laughed and the group settled down to wait for Manny and Diego to recover from their little flirtation with death.

-#-#-

It was getting dark by the time the group set off again.

They covered a huge distance in just a few short hours, but a storm was brewing, and the dark clouds that were quickly forming did not bode well. A strong breeze started up, causing the pace to slow down as the 'herd' tried to make it though the snow with their eyes streaming. They kept moving however, and it wasn't until Nana heard the baby whimper that she decided she'd had enough.

"Guys, we've gotta get the baby out of the wind!"

Diego glanced back at her and hesitated slightly, before nodding, and they started to look for any shelter they could find. Sid spotted it first, a huge rock that was just tall and wide enough for the four of them to comfortably rest behind, while the wind blew around it. Manny looked in the direction of Half Peak; it wasn't too far away and it annoyed him immensely to have to be stuck here.

"How much further?" He voiced, raising his volume to be heard over the howling wind.

"Three miles," shouted back Diego.

Manny glanced back to see Sid scratching away at the rock with a smaller one held in his claws. Manny turned to Diego for help but he didn't look like he had a clue either.

"What're you doing?" Asked Diego bewildered.

"I'm putting sloths on the map," answered Sid seriously. Without turning around he continued his scraping on the rock, then finally stopped and stepped back to admire his work. Nana raised an eyebrow as she looked at it, trying to figure out the nicest way of pointing out that Sid looked nothing like what he'd just drawn.

Manny, however, had no such qualms and pointed out the blatantly obvious in his normal, blunt manner.

"Hey why don't you make it realistic and draw him lying down?"

Sid turned with an annoyed expression on his face and started to say something sarcastic but was interrupted by Diego who also decided to join in.

"And make him rounder." While Diego distracted Sid, Manny snatched the rock out of his grasp and pressed it against the drawing, adding a big round stomach to it.

"Perfect," murmured Manny satisfied. He and Diego grinned at each other but Sid grabbed the rock away from him and muttered sarcastically.

"Ah, ha, I forgot how to laugh."

Turning he started scraping at the drawing trying to get rid of the stomach Manny had drawn on it. A scratching sound reached the group's ears and they watched, surprised, as a spark flew from the rocks and landed on a small pile of twigs and leaves. Sid stared at the fire that he had just started, then smiled and kissed the rock.

"I'm a genius!"

Manny found some branches nearby and brought them back to keep the fire going. Slowly they settled down for the night. Manny lay down next to the wall and Diego sprawled out a short distance away as usual. Nana flopped down next to him and Manny couldn't help but smile at the picture the two made. Diego looked slightly uncomfortable but made no move to get up and shift. The three of them and the baby watched while Sid pranced around the fire proudly.

"From now on, you'll have to refer to me as Sid: Lord of the Flames!"

Rolling his eyes Manny turned them to the fire and watched interestedly as a spark popped out and landed on the sloth's tail. A soft glow could be seen momentarily then smoke started rising up. He didn't seem to realize this and the mammoth smirked at him.

"Hey, Lord of the Flames! Your tail's on fire."

The baby laughed at Sid's reaction as he jumped up and started running around in circles wildly. The group laughed and Nana smirked, enjoying the spectacle, making no move to help him out. Diego snickered as he sat up waiting for Sid to dash by him, then he reached out and grabbed the sloth, pulling him back into a pile of snow and extinguishing the fire effectively.

With a sigh of relief Sid sat up and smiled at Diego.

"Oh, thank you! From now on, I'm going to call you Diego…"

"Lord of Touch Me and You're Dead," Diego growled menacingly, glaring down at him, which caused Sid to gasp and shrink back from the tiger.

Nana rolled her eyes and muttered quietly next to him, "Diego don't be so harsh on him."

Diego sighed but complied with her wishes. "Ah, I'm just kiddin', ya little knucklehead..." Grabbing Sid he tucked him under a paw and started rubbing his head making Sid squirm underneath him and try to get out of his vice like grip.

Sudden movement to the side caught Manny's attention, and he glanced over to see the baby slowly pulling himself up onto his feet, using a hairy, woolly leg to keep his balance.

"Hey, lovebirds. Look at this." Diego abruptly stopped what he was doing and looked up sharply, and Nana smiled slightly, watching the baby carefully take a few steps towards Sid. Nearly losing his balance for a second he started falling back but Manny caught him with his long trunk and helped him regain control.

The sloth was staring at the baby in amazement, and a smile broke out on his face. "I don't believe it!"

Diego glanced from Sid to the baby, and then to Nana. He smiled at her again then turned his attention to the baby as Sid started to encourage him.

"Come here, you little biped! Come here, you little wormy worm! Come to Uncle Sid!" The baby turned his head and saw Diego sitting to the side, then changed his direction and slowly made his way over to the saber toothed-tiger who looked ready to run and hide behind Nana. "No, no, no, this way. This way!"

A look of panic flashed across his face, as Diego shook his head and pointed at Sid.

"Go to him. Go to him." As the baby continued walking towards him he backed up a step. Reaching him, the baby fell forward and wrapped his arms around his leg smiling up at him. "Uh...ok. Good job. Keep...practicing." He helped the baby up and gave him a nudge in Manny's direction.

"Aaw," murmured Nana sleepily at his side. "You look cute with kids."

Diego, startled, glanced at her and then at Manny, who looked knowingly at them.

"Yeah, well," but he was saved from saying anything as the baby sneezed and fell down in front of the fire, drawing everyone's attention.

"Look at that. Our little guy's growing up," said Sid approvingly. Manny reached out with his trunk and picked him up, pulling him over to him.

"All right, come on. Sleep time, lumpy." He smiled as the baby snuggled into his fur and stuck his thumb in his mouth like always. Sid wandered over to Diego and Nana who was slumbering and sat down next to Diego, watching Manny, who, after making sure Junior was comfortable, lay down went to sleep himself.

"You know," said Sid, "I've never had a friend who would risk his life for me."

Diego shifted, the guilt about his plan gnawing away at him inside. "Yeah," he agreed. "Manny's a pretty amazing guy."

_And I'm gonna kill him. That's gratitude for you._

He sighed at his morbid thoughts, trying to figure out a way in which he could save his new friends, and escape his pack without recriminations. What he needed was a new plan, and a damn good one. His dilemma was clear. Not to tell them, and have his pack eat his friends, or tell them and face the fact that they might never forgive him and his pack would disown him.

He looked over at Sid, but he was fast asleep. Diego fidgeted before settling down for a restless night.

-#-#-

_"Diego how could you!"_

_"You brought us home for DINNER!"_

_"You're not sorry… not yet anyway."_

_Their faces haunted him, disappointed and disgusted. Sid looked at him in sheer terror, unable to move even, as Diego felt himself raise a paw, helpless to stop himself, as he swung it at him, sending out a killing blow in an instant._

_Manny trumpeted in anger and terror as Diego and the rest of the pack closed in on the helpless mammoth. Nana tried to protect him as Soto lunged at Manny, and she clawed at him, snarling at the larger and much stronger male saber. Soto scratched at her face and front, reopening the large scar that ran across her front chest and down the side of her leg. Blood began to run freely down, coating her fur, in thick red fluid and Diego saw her sway dangerously. She held on though and raked her claws across Soto's muzzle. _

_He roared and sprang at her throat, sinking his fangs into the soft flesh before viciously ripping her throat out._

_"NO!" _

_He yelled but no sound came from his throat __and his body kept moving for the mammoth. He wanted to throw up as he saw Soto carelessly discard Nana's still body onto the frozen snow and head over to Manny, her blood smearing his muzzle and glistening on his fangs._

_They closed in on Manny, who was trying even now to save himself, using his tusks to keep the vicious tigers at bay. But suddenly there was an opening and unable to prevent himself he leapt. Manny turned and their eyes met as Diego's sharp incisors pierced Manny's hide. _

_And he would never forget the expression on his face. _

_I betrayed… all of you._

-#-#-

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Many thanks to my reviewers:

**Virgo girl**: I'm looking forward to reading your story. Please let me know what it's called and when you intend to release it.

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**Gijinka Renamon:** I'm glad you find it interesting and that you took the time to review.


	6. The Betrayal

**Title**: Lost and Found

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Manny, Sid, or Diego and/or any other characters associated with them. I do own Nana though.

**Pairing:** Diego/OC

**Summary:** What if Sid wasn't the only mammal abandoned that day?

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The night fled swiftly and the rays of the sunrise curled inquisitive tendrils into the morning sky. Manny was first up and he stretched out aching bones, using his trunk to prod the sleeping group awake.

There was no response.

"Wakey wakey, rise and shine," murmured the mammoth quietly.

Sid shifted in his sleep but his snoring informed Manny that he was still in the land of Nod. Seeing no one was waking up he grinned at the baby. He reached his trunk into the snow, which lay strewn on the ground and picking up a handful he warmed it next to the dying embers of the fire. The snow melted forming puddles and the baby gurgled, correctly guessing what the mammoth was about to do.

Manny sucked up a trunkful of water and then power sprayed it at the unfortunate sleeping individuals.

Needless to say, the angry yells could be heard several miles away.

#-#-#-#-#-#-#

Manny was in a very good mood all day.

The rest of the group stayed well behind the cheerful mammoth, muttering death threats and growling softly. Sid was slightly more subdued but that didn't stop his endless chatter. Diego was unusually quiet and Nana's eyes looked slightly glazed but Sid didn't notice and prattled on happily in his own little world. Half Peak loomed ominously in the distance. They were getting very close and nervous anticipation filled the air.

Sid seemed to notice something was up and turned his attention to the baby in his arms. He stopped and held him up next to him.

"I think he's starting to look like me!" Exclaimed Sid joyfully. "Hey Diego, what do you think?"

Diego rolled his eyes and ignored the sloth, and then looked up at Half Peak with an odd expression on his face. Nana smiled bemusedly at the pair before gently licking Diego's cheek.

"What's up?" She asked concernedly.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this."

Sid scowled at Diego and started walking again. "Why not?"

"Because if we save him, he'll grow up to be a hunter. And who do you think he'll hunt?"

Nana frowned at his behaviour. "Diego, what's the matter? You're suddenly all jittery."

He shrugged off her concern and continued walking, leaving Nana with a hurt expression.

Sid glanced back at Diego and shrugged. "Maybe because we saved him, he won't hunt us. Ow!" He winced and pulled his head back from the baby who had poked him in the nose.

Diego turned to him with an impatient snarl. "Yeah, and maybe he'll grow fur and a long skinny neck and call you 'mama'!"

Now, the whole group stopped and looked at him in surprise. Nana, who had never heard him use such a tone before stepped back slightly. Flashes of life with her previous pack were starting to make an unwelcome comeback and she viciously pushed down some of the more unpleasant memories.

Even Manny looked slightly troubled. "What's your problem?"

Diego turned away from the herd and looked around at Half Peak again. He shook his head and walked on.

"Nothing," he snapped. "Let's go, I'm freezing my tail off."

The mammoth shrugged and continued walking but Diego stopped after a few steps and just stood there. The rest of the group continued walking but Nana stopped too, picking up a strange scent. She lifted up her muzzle trying to pinpoint the source and Manny turned around, waiting impatiently for Diego to catch up as Nana started to wander over to some hills, her nose down to the ground and sniffing hard.

"Hey, Diego. You frozen back there?"

The tiger looked up at Manny, then suddenly bounded over and skidded to a stop next to him hissing at them urgently.

"Get down!"

"Huh?" Sid and Manny looked at each other, then at Diego, confused. "What?"

"Ssh! Get down and follow me!"

Diego looked up and spotted Nana a fair way up and growled deeply, the vibrations causing Sid's claws to curl up.

Nana's ears pricked and she looked up - at the gestures made by Manny's trunk she came lolloping over.

"What's the matter guys? You know there's the strangest smell, I think it's…" her voice trailed off as she glanced at Diego and then sniffed the air.

"No!" Disbelief stealing over her features she began to back away slowly. Neither Manny nor Sid had the faintest idea about what she was talking about and feelings of frustration rose up within them.

"Hey, what's going on?" Sid glanced at the two tigers nervously not knowing what to do.

Diego sighed and lowered his head looking at the snow. "At the bottom of Half Peak...there's an ambush, waiting for you."

"What?!"

"I _knew _it," said Nana softly.

Manny glared at Diego, narrowing his eyes. "What do you mean ambush?"

Diego didn't say anything and suddenly it hit Manny, what the crafty tiger had been doing the whole time. All the stuff about being able to track and shortcuts…

_"The baby? Please. I was returning him to his herd."_

_"You don't need this aggravation. Give me the baby. I can track those humans down a lot faster than you can."_

_"I just know where the humans are going."_

_"Well unless you know how to track, you're never going to reach them before the pass closes up with snow. Which should be like...tomorrow."_

_"I found a shortcut!"_

_"Look, either we slip through_ _there and beat the humans to Glacier Pass, or we take the long way and miss them!"_

_"This time tomorrow, you could be a free mammoth."_

"You set us up."

"It was my job! I was supposed to get the baby, but then--"

"You brought us home for _dinner_!" Manny cut him off before he could finish explaining.

"That's it, you're out of the herd!" Shouted Sid. But it was Nana's expression that caused Diego to look down at the ground guiltily.

Nana couldn't believe it. She'd thought she smelt other tigers but put it down to her mind playing tricks on her. But when she'd come over to Diego and smelt the same familiar smell on him, the final piece in the puzzle clicked. His pack were tracking them.

The betrayal was sickening.

First her own pack and now this. She'd thought that they had had something, or at least the chance of something. That night at the campfire when she'd lain down next to him, the ice caves… and now it was worth squat. Her self-disgust and disappointment were a bitter pill to swallow and tears were threatening to run down her fur. She held them back, viciously biting the inside of her cheek, concentrating on that physical pain rather than the emotional pain she was in at the moment.

There was no way she was shedding tears over their non-existent relationship.

"I'm sorry," murmured Diego.

"No you're not!" Yelled Manny. Quick as a flash he had him pinned to the side of the rock by the throat with one of his tusks. "Not yet."

Putting his paws against Manny's tusks, Diego looked at the mammoth urgently. "Listen, I can help you!"

Manny ignored the struggling tiger.

"Stay close to Nana, Sid!" He snapped at the sloth. "We can fight our way out!"

"You can't!" Manny applied more pressure and Diego gasped. "The pack's too strong. You have to trust me."

"_Trust_ you?!" Exploded Manny. "Why in the world would we trust _you_?!"

"Because I'm you're only chance."

There was a moment of stillness as the group waited to see Diego's fate, and there own. Finally Manny reluctantly dropped him. The tiger slowly got to his feet and glanced at the mammoth warily. His gaze shifted to Sid who glared back and then to Nana who wouldn't look at him.

"Okay, here's what we're gonna do…"

**#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#**

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	7. Love & Loss

**Title**: Lost and Found

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Manny, Sid, or Diego and/or any other characters associated with them. I do own Nana though and her storyline.

**Pairing:** Diego/OC

**Summary:** What if Sid wasn't the only mammal left behind that day?

#-#-#-#-#

The plan was risky and fraught with danger. It was either that though or face certain death at the hands of the remaining pack of tigers who had a score to settle.

Sid had gone off, per Diego's instructions and Manny found himself hoping the sloth was okay and that he didn't mess things up. Glaring in the direction of the tiger who had disappeared Manny settled down and waited - there was nothing much else he could do…except perhaps contemplating ways to kill Diego.

The betrayal hurt, and the trust and camaraderie that had built up between the four of them was now hanging in tatters. Illusions of trust and companionship were shattered. You couldn't just make it better again with a few bleated protests and apologies. Manny snorted.

Diego had confessed everything with remorse clear in his eyes, but the mammoth still held onto his doubt, knowing that if he let it go again he was leaving himself wide open for more hurt if this was another trick of Diego's.

And yet there was a small voice in the back of his mind telling him that Diego was truly sorry. That instead of telling them about the plan he could simply have gone and gotton his pack. The mammoth shifted uneasily on his feet and wondered where Sid was. He was taking his time…

"Sorry fellas! He got a little frost bite!"

Sid's voice echoed around the mountains. Manny rolled his eyes. The sloth was safe.

There was a loud, angry snarl. "Get him!"

Maybe not.

Sid rushed around the corner towards the mammoth and kept going to get to the real baby. Five seconds later three saber toothed tigers came hurtling around. They stopped short as they came face to face with a large angry mammoth.

"Surprise!"

Manny picked up the huge log lying in front of him and without further ado swept it round at them, hitting all three tigers, knocking them over the ledge they were standing on. Manny smirked, then turned as Diego and Nana came up behind him smiling, even if the smile on Nana's face was starting to look brittle.

"Come on, we'll pick up Sid and get out of here while we can," said Diego.

Nana nodded mutely and Manny looked at her in concern, but she steadfastly ignored his stare and started to walk after Diego. Manny followed them quickly, determined to speak with the moping tiger later when Diego wasn't there. Suddenly he stopped as another tiger came up on his right. He was a large sabretooth with impressive fangs and Manny watched him warily.

Without moving his eyes away the stranger called to Diego. "Come on, Diego. Let's bring this mammoth down!"

Diego froze, then turned around slowly and glanced at the other tiger that was stalking back and forth in front of Manny. Nana watched in growing horror as Diego approached, beginning to growl. The two tigers closed in on Manny, forcing back against the high cliff face.

He was trapped.

Nana's eyes narrowed and she ran back to Manny, coming to stop in front of him protectively, teeth bared and claws out. If this was the way Diego wanted it to play out then so be it. The other tiger looked surprised at the sudden appearance of a female, then leered.

Nana snorted in disgust. "Not on your life."

The other tiger merely growled in response but Nana knew he was smarting. To everyone's disbelief, Diego came to stand next to Nana, who looked at him critically, one eyebrow raised, but by the way she held herself close to him it seemed to Manny that he wasn't about to turn on them.

The other tiger pulled up sharply, seemingly more startled than anyone else.

"What're you _doing_?"

Diego's hackles rose and he spoke coldly to him. "Leave the mammoth alone Soto."

"Fine. I'll take you down first," said Soto, eyes narrowed in hatred.

Two of the previously felled tigers that Manny had knocked off the ledge had recovered their health and were now coming to back up their leader. They began to enclose the group.

Soto and Diego began to circle each other and as they leaped towards each other Nana moved to help.

Suddenly she was attacked by another tiger who had sprung out at her, knocking her off balance. She rolled a little way away, trying to shrug off this new threat, but not before the tiger managed to rake his claws across her body, gouging three deep cuts into her side. Nana snarled in pain and viciously swatted at his eyes with a paw, smiling grimly at the sound of agony that came from her opponent. Blood streaming from his eyes caused him to be practically blinded, and Nana wasted no time taking advantage of the opportunity.

She leapt at him and sank her teeth into the soft flesh of his throat, severing the jugular before the other tiger could utter another whimper. She let the body fall at her feet and stepped away from it in disgust. She wasn't proud of her actions but knew it was either do nothing and watch him kill her or get rid of the danger.

Licking away the blood coating her teeth and around her face she turned to see how the others were faring, just in time to watch Diego be thrown forcefully against one of the sheer dark cliffs and fall unconscious to the ground.

"Diego!"

About to run to him she noticed that the momentary distraction had caused the fat tiger to try and swipe a gash in Manny's side. This in turn forced the mammoth backwards, and Nana's eyes widened as she realised he would be hemmed in against the cliff if he moved any further back. By now Soto came to join his rather larger companion and together they started to advance on a hemmed in Manny. She saw the mammoth bump into the rock and look behind him, his eyes widening as he realised the tricky predicament he was now in. Diego was slowly lifting his head, but Nana realised that he was too dazed to do anything to help.

Narrowing her eyes she leapt with a cry of rage and landed on Soto's back, digging in her claws, causing the big cat to screech in pain. She leapt off him, his stunned companion simply standing there watching as Soto angrily turned on Nana.

"So you're Diego's little bitch eh?" Nana's eyes became slits.

"I'm not Diego's little anything," she ground out.

"Really?" He smirked. "Well then it won't cause him any pain if I get rid of you, will it?"

Nana simply smiled. "I'd love to see you try. Now are we done with the verbal insults?" She yawned dramatically, inwardly smirking at the look of fury in Soto's black eyes. "Because this is getting boring."

Soto roared and leapt, but Nana nimbly dodged out of the way and raked a claw along his male tiger whirled and caught her off guard, managing to get in a good blow to her head. Shrugging off the dizziness, she spat in his eyes, causing him to momentarily lose his vision as he tried to blink away the moisture. Nana knocked him to the ground in his blindness and pounced on him, hearing a satisfying crack as some of Soto's ribs splintered.

She leapt off, but fell flat on the ground, as one of his paws wrapped around her foot. It appeared he wasn't giving up without a fight. She tried to kick him off but he was having none of it. He grabbed her back leg and wrenched. She cried out in pain, knowing he'd dislocated it from her hip. Feeling the paw at her other leg she wriggled desperately, trying to escape the crushing grip. And then he pulled that one sharply too.

She whimpered in agony, trying to crawl away from the sudden certainty of death. She tried to get up, but the pain in her hips was like nothing she'd felt before, excluding the pain she had felt from receiving her scar. She saw Soto stand, saw him wince at the pain his broken ribs caused, saw him circle her, pathetic as she lay on the snow.

Looking around her she noticed Manny was helping up Diego, unaware of what was happening to her as he tended to the fallen tiger, who was now much more lucid than he had been. Obviously, Manny was putting the betrayal behind him. The other sabre had disappeared, and for that she was grateful, knowing Manny would only have to deal with Soto now.

"And look at you now," murmured Soto sadistically. "Not so bored anymore, I think." With a sudden movement he was looking her right in the face, and she was helpless to do anything. "Goodbye."

Sinking his fangs into her throat, she felt his teeth slice into her tender body. Closing her eyes, she knew she wouldn't survive this last encounter and resigning herself to her fate, it was with shock she felt Soto ripped away from her. She opened her eyes watching as the tiger flew through the air, before his body smashed into the rocks.

Soto shook his head, slightly stunned from the impact, which had jostled his broken ribs, and he waited a few beats trying to shake off the nausea. Nana saw the shaking icicles before Soto did, watched as they quivered and knew what would happen, even as Soto tried to stand. The icicles fell, impaling the tiger where he lay and she watched as his body went limp. Sighing in relief Nana watched as the rest of the group turned and wandered over to where she lay.

Sid wandered over with the baby smiling. "We did it!"

Nana managed a weak smile at his enthusiasm. "Are you alright?"

Sid nodded, and she saw his former happiness start to drain away as he finally started to take notice of the situation. "Yeah," he said softly. "We're all… all alright."

Nana nodded. "Good." She closed her eyes, suddenly very tired.

"I'm uh, sorry I tried to set you up," murmured Diego, as he came and lay down next to her, ignoring the blood and the pain, and trying to offer as much comfort as he could.

"Ah, you know me, I'm too lazy to hold a grudge," said Sid. Manny nodded in agreement.

Nana smirked as she cracked open an eye. "You're too lazy to hold anything, sloth," she said weakly.

Setting the baby down on the ground Sid backed off a step and the group watched as he crawled over to Nana and put a hand on her nose. Nana smiled slightly at the baby and opened her other eye.

"Hey, little one." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Look after everyone for me, huh? Take care of Manny and Sid and especially Diego," she rolled her eyes at the growl from the tiger next to her. "Be strong and grow up and make me proud, okay?" She found the strength to lift her head and give the baby a soft lick, and then nudged him away from the blood-speckled snow towards Sid and Manny.

"Come on, you can lick this! You're a tiger!" Cried Sid.

Nana smiled wistfully. "I'm a tiger Sid, but I'm not invincible." She shifted slightly and let out a small whimper as the movement jolted her legs, which lay limply splayed out next to her.

Sid pleaded with Manny."Tell her she's gonna be alright!"

Manny remained silent, his dark eyes boring into Nana's. She shook her head imperceptibly, her expression one of resignation.

"You should go," she said, her voice weak and accepting.

When Manny spoke his tone was quiet and serious."You didn't have to do that."

"That's what you do in a herd," she replied, echoing his words in the lava pits when he'd saved Diego.

"Now go. Return the kid." She closed her eyes and then let out a long shuddering breath.

The baby whimpered and Diego dropped his head, closing his eyes, his breathing ragged. Manny picked up the baby as he reached over for Diego, leaving the tiger to mourn in peace. Sid followed silently, understanding the tiger's need for privacy.

They walked a little way off, leaving Diego next to Nana's limp body. Sid stood next to Manny, neither creature saying anything in the silence that followed.

Finally Sid could stand it no longer. He turned to the mammoth.

"Do you think…?"

He was cut off by a loud roar that echoed around the cliffs, a roar full of anguish and self-loathing, of pain and of love. Grief, yes it was full of grief, but the resounding emotion was of bitterness, over what was lost and what would now never be. Manny turned to Sid, his eyes shining with tears and he nodded.

"Yeah, I think he did."

**#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#**

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	8. Uncle Sid

**Title**: Lost and Found

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Manny, Sid, or Diego and/or any other characters associated with them. I do own Nana though and her storyline.

**Pairing:** Diego/OC

**Summary:** What if Sid wasn't the only mammal left behind?

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Manny and Sid carried on towards Glacier Pass without Diego, leaving the tiger in peace. They knew he'd track them in his own time and catch up with them when he was ready to.

The trek was silent, the two mammals not saying much at all and even the baby seemed oddly quiet, as if knowing, even with a child's mind that something was missing.

The human's tracks gradually became easier and easier to follow and they realised that soon they would come upon them. Picking up the pace the duo finally spotted the humans, a small cluster of beings wrapped up tightly against the snow, with their dogs running beside them and spears clasped in calloused hands.

Suddenly one of the humans stopped, and Manny watched a little way off as he placed a beaded necklace on a small mound of snow reverently. He seemed to be saying some sort of goodbye and didn't notice the mammoth until he was nearly face-to-face with him.

The human gasped in fear and surprise, taking a step backwards, unconsciously putting space between them. There was an impasse for a few moments as man met beast and both stilled, feeling the tension rising subtly.

Cautiously Manny raised his trunk to reach for the baby. The man mistook it for a sign of aggression though, and fearing that he would be struck down he flinched and raised his spear threateningly.

Sid pranced from foot to foot beside the mammoth, his only outlet for his ever-increasing terror.

Manny, ever in control of a dangerous situation grasped the wooden spear tightly, wrapping his hairy trunk around it with a lethal grip and gave a sharp tug. The man whimpered as the spear was flung far out of his reach. With the sharp implement out of the way Manny could finally reach for the child clinging to his back.

But the sounds of the humans and their dogs were coming closer as they ran back to help their friend, and Sid began to panic as the group raced ever closer and closer to where they were.

Finally grasping the baby he lifted him up and over to the man, whose fearful expression relaxed into one of sheer happiness as he cuddled his son closer to him, savouring holding his only offspring and last connection to his beloved wife.

Stopping the other humans from attacking, the group began to rejoice in the return of one of their lost ones, and Sid smiled up at Manny, happy to see the heart-warming reunion, lifting some of his grief over Nana's death. Knowing their task was at last accomplished the two turned to leave, hoping to pick up Diego on the way back South. There was a sudden whimper from the baby and they stopped, turning to look as the baby's father placed the child on the ground, watching in amazement as he toddled over to them. Sid picked him up carefully and hugged him.

"Don't forget about us, ok?" He smiled sadly and handed him over to the mammoth, who pressed him close to his face.

"We won't forget about you."

The baby gurgled and clasped his chubby arms around Manny's trunk before the mammoth handed him back over to his father. The man looked at the two of them and then picked up the necklace he had placed on the ground earlier, before gently placing it over one of Manny's tusks. Surprised and not a little touched, the mammoth's sensitive trunk tip softly caressed the wooden carvings, recognising the offering for what it was and smiled softly.

Finally going their separate ways they watched as the baby and his father walked away. Sid started calling after him, continuing to say goodbye as the baby peeped over his parents shoulder.

"Bye. Good-bye. Bye!"

Manny rolled his eyes as the sloth continued to wave. "Sid."

The mammoth sighed as the baby began playing peek-a-boo, which caused Sid to start up again. "That's right, where's the baby?"

The game reminded him of Diego and thoughts of the tiger made him remember Nana. Trying to push the thoughts out of his head he turned to the sloth, his voice rough and tired.

"Come on, Sid. Let's head south."

He didn't want to be reminded of what had happened at the moment, the memories too fresh and his grief too raw. Turning to begin walking off again, the mammoth stopped in bewilderment as he took in the sight before him.

Standing on the hill was Diego, carefully supporting a tired, visibly weak Nana, who was seriously limping but blessedly alive. Diego reached the top with Nana leaning against him and they both looked down at the baby, Diego repeating the game he'd taught the child. The tiger covered his eyes with one paw, then smiled and waved at the baby as the humans walked on.

Sid meanwhile, oblivious to the fact that Diego and Nana were up there continued to shout his goodbyes.

"Bye!"

The tigers made their way down the hill silently and Diego took the chance to surprise Sid.

"Save your breath, Sid. You know humans can't talk." Sid's eyes widened impossibly and he leaped around, spotting the two tigers he raced towards them grinning.

"Nana! Diego! You're ok!" Nana smirked and then winced as the sloth hugged her sore neck.

"Nice to see you too Sid."

Diego laughed and nuzzled her affectionately. It was Sid's turn to smirk and he began to dance around singing a rather embarrassing and irritating song involving Nana and Diego being up a tree kissing. He barely missed Diego's paw coming to swipe his head.

"We might have nine lives, Sid," said Nana teasingly, "but I doubt sloths do."

Manny smiled and shook his head and offered more sober greetings.

"I'm glad you're okay." The female sabre smiled softly.

"Yeah. Me too."

"Yay! You're ok, you're ok!" Sid continued to enthuse and ended up launching himself at Diego.

"Argh!"

Diego gave a yelp as Sid smacked him hard on the back and wrapped his arms around his neck, trying to kiss him on the head. Nana smothered the urge to laugh.

"I could kiss you!" Sid's face soon screwed up in disgust though as he tried to spit out cat hair.

"Yuck! Hairball."

Diego rolled his eyes and smiled at Manny who was trying to ignore Sid clawing at his tongue trying to get rid of the taste.

"Uh, welcome back, partner." Manny turned to Nana. "Wanna lift?" He offered.

Nana debated and then nodded, her joints aching and her injuries still hurting massively. Diego had had to force her hips back into their sockets and that had been excrutiatingly painful. Her blood had eventually clotted but the thought of having to walk south was not an appealing one and she acquiesced. Sid clambered on too and they began walking south to begin the migration.

"Mush!" Commanded Sid and Manny glared up at him. The sloth meekly backed down.

"Or not mush. Either way."

The mammoth rolled his eyes and shook his head, beginning to move again as Diego followed, smiling slightly as Sid started chattering away again.

"This is gonna be the best migration ever. I'm gonna show you all my favourite watering holes…" Diego couldn't hear everything the sloth said, but by Manny's reaction it wasn't anything terribly appealing or interesting.

"Sounds very attractive." Sid chose to ignore the comment and continued babbling.

"You know, this whole Ice Age thing is getting old. Know what I could really go for? Global warming!"

"Right," Manny mumbled sarcastically.

Nana sighed and settled into a more comfortable position on Manny's back, suddenly wishing for an acute attack of deafness. Sadly this didn't look like it would be happening anytime soon.

"Keep dreaming," came Diego's response, but Sid carried on chattering regardless. It appeared it was going to be a _very _long trek south.

#-#-#-#-#

Manny smirked as Diego paced outside the cave, his face screwed up in worry and his paws wearing a track into the ground.

"Diego stop pacing, you're making me dizzy," he said gently. Diego stopped after a moment and registering what his friend had said flopped down to the ground.

"This is driving me crazy," moaned the sabretooth.

"You survived Sid, I'm sure you can survive impending fatherhood," said Manny drolly.

"Hey!" Said Sid defensively. The sloth scratched his head and then wondered out loud. "I wonder if any of 'em will look like me?"

Diego growled as Manny laughed.

"Poor things," said Manny. "Imagine, growing up with a face like that."

The sloth stuck his tongue out. "I happen to have a very handsome face," he said petulantly and slicked back his fur.

Manny sighed and rolled his eyes. "And who told you that? Your reflection?"

The argument was about to begin in earnest, when an aging tiger came and poked her head out of the cave and smiled at Diego.

"Congratulations," she said. "Why don't you come and have a look inside at the little ones?"

Diego leapt gracefully to his feet and rushed inside the cave, followed by Sid and Manny, managing to squeeze his bulk into the space.

Nana lay sleeping on her side; five tiny bundles of fur snuffling around blindly as they nestled next to her. Diego smiled warmly at his exhausted mate and sat down next to her, nudging one of the more adventurous youngsters back towards it's mother.

Sid picked one up and held the newborn next to him.

"Whaddya think, huh? I think he looks like me."

Diego rolled his eyes."My children are much better looking."

Sid put the cub back and grinned. "Oh, they're all so adorable," he cooed. "Yes, you are!" Manny sighed as Sid devolved into baby speak. "You're going to have so much fun with Uncle Sid!"

Nana cracked an eye open and stifled a yawn. She smiled at the group clustered around her and then frowned at Sid.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea letting you lot anywhere near my cubs," she said. "A human child's one thing - this is another. And look how much trouble you got into with that."

Sid shook his head. "No, we'll have great fun, I was great with my cousin's kids. Once I took them to the mud swamps and then we… got lost...er…oh no...how about the time I took them to the …no, not that either…er…"

Diego shook his head. "Why is it I suddenly feel that I should be really worried?"

"It's Sid." Manny shrugged. "What else do you expect?"

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**Well that's it folks. Hope you've enjoyed reading my story, if you did why don't you drop me a line? Or why not read some of my other stories?**

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!**

**It doesn't take much just to spare a minute to write me a review telling me what you thought of this story. It helps me to know if anyone's actually reading it and if you have any pointers they are welcomed.**


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